(re)Introducing the phoenix rising…
circa 2005/6last bio before disbanding:
With roots firmly planted in Midwestern soil, The Phoenix Rising is very much a product of their environment. Brought together in early 2002, the small, steel town Indiana boys (and girl) that make up The Phoenix Rising were disenchanted with the pop-punk drones of their near neighbor counterparts from Chicago. Indiana has a history of producing artists who do things their own way. From Axl Rose and Shannon Hoon to the more appropriately comparable Murder by Death and Brazil, The Phoenix Rising continue the tradition of not giving in to the pressures of “what’s in” and more importantly making the music that they want to make without compromise.
After just sixteen shows The Phoenix Rising signed with Action Heights Records and released the Looking Glass War EP. A mere 4 months later the band recorded their debut full length, Lullaby, in New York at Nada Studios with John Naclerio (My Chemical Romance, Senses Fail, Armor for Sleep, Steel Train, etc.) The release of Lullaby garnered the attention of critics, labels, and other artists alike. John Bernstein of The Beautiful Mistake listed The Phoenix Rising in his top 5 bands to look out for in 2004 according to TheScout.net.
With a national tour and countless shows throughout the Midwest under their belt, The Phoenix Rising was most recently invited to play the 2004 Vans Warped Tour. The success of Lullaby and an ever growing audience has pushed The Phoenix Rising to plan a summer tour and continue work on their follow-up full length. Also, they will be appearing on a Smashing Pumpkins Tribute album with the likes of Thursday, From Autumn to Ashes and Atreyu due out in June of 2005.
review/independentclauses.comby Stephen CarradiniBest element: Calamitous breakdowns and brilliant riffs.Genre: Hardcore-tinged rock.Label: Action Heights
I listened to no more than two songs off this album before I knew it was going to be one of this year’s best. When you combine an excellent singer with hardcore-tinged modern rock that’s actually original, nothing but positive results can occur.
The Phoenix Rising is all about rock; their choruses, their breakdowns, their very style is all about adrenaline. Their pulsing, riff-driven rock is wild, chaotic, and tough to pin down, as elements of electronica, space-rock, and emo infiltrate their sound. The drums are thrashing, the bass actually plays a part, and the guitars pound away; it’s safe to say that this rock rocks. It gets even better when the vocals appear; the vocalist sounds like Further Seems Forever-era Chris Carrabba; flailing, wailing, empowered, and excellent. If FSF released “The Moon is Down” with their guitars cranked to full, more anger, and an affinity for calamitous instrumental sections, “Lullaby” would be it.
From the wicked, stomping breakdown in “Shadows and Silhouettes’ to the brilliant riff from “Awakening” to the eerie gravity of “To Paris in a Coffin” to the pure cathartic bliss that is “Mid-July”, this album will leave an impact on you. “Lullaby” is the album to repeat this year, and The Phoenix Rising is the personification of a thunderstorm: merciless, unrelenting, and a wonder to behold.